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Effects Of Acute Aerobic Exercise On Whole Genome Nucleosome Maps, Transcriptomics And Acylcamitine Metabolomics In Skeletal Muscle Of Lean Vs Overweight/Obese Men, Prasad P. Devarshi

Open Access Dissertations

Skeletal muscle mitochondrial dysfunction, evidenced by incomplete beta oxidation and accumulation of fatty acid intermediates in the form of long and medium chain acylcarnitines, may contribute to ectopic lipid deposition and insulin resistance during high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity. Anterograde and retrograde communication play a role in nucleo-mitochondrial crosstalk that determines skeletal muscle mitochondrial adaptations, specifically alterations in mitochondrial number and function in relation to obesity and insulin resistance. High fat diet (HFD) feeding affects the expression of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes (NEMGs) nuclear receptor factor 1 (NRF-1), 2 (NRF-2) and peroxisome proliferator receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1α) thereby, playing …

Consensus Algorithms For Networks Of Systems With Second- And Higher-Order Dynamics, Michael Fruhnert

Open Access Dissertations

This thesis considers homogeneous networks of linear systems. We consider linear feedback controllers and require that the directed graph associated with the network contains a spanning tree and systems are stabilizable. We show that, in continuous-time, consensus with a guaranteed rate of convergence can always be achieved using linear state feedback. For networks of continuous-time second-order systems, we provide a new and simple derivation of the conditions for a second-order polynomials with complex coefficients to be Hurwitz. We apply this result to obtain necessary and sufficient conditions to achieve consensus with networks whose graph Laplacian matrix may have complex eigenvalues. …

Thermal Perches As Cooling Devices For Reducing Heat Stress In Caged Laying Hens, Jiaying Hu

Open Access Dissertations

Heat stress (HS) is one of the most detrimental environmental stressors that affect poultry. Many egg companies are located in tropical and subtropical areas where HS is a year round problem. Global climate change is causing more hot days and frequent unexpected heat waves. Animal health and welfare status are greatly compromised under high ambient temperatures. In laying hens, HS negatively affects livability, egg production, shell quality, and the internal quality of eggs. Induced molting, used to rejuvenate flocks, is a common managerial practice that extends the productive life of egg laying flocks. Molting brings the flock into a second …

Investigating The Role Of Induced Acinar Specific Transcription Factors In Pancreatic Tumor Cells And Their Target Gene Effects On Tumorgenic Development, Brad L. Jakubison

Open Access Dissertations

Pancreatic acinar cells synthesize and secrete prodigestive enzymes into the primary pancreatic duct where they traverse to the duodenum to continue the process to digestion. Due to the stress of constantly synthesizing large quantities of digestive enzymes, acinar cells must be well-equipped to address high protein production demands. The transcription factors (TFs), MIST1, PTF1a and E47, are required to maintain the pancreatic secretory homeostasis. All three are basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) TFs which are required for the function of the pancreas. Specifically, MIST1 promotes cell polarity, cell communication, and regulated exocytosis. PTF1a dimerizes with E47, and this protein complex is required …

Hyperspectral Image Reconstruction From Rgb Data And Its Biomedical Applications, Tae Hoon Kim

Open Access Dissertations

Noninvasive label-free hyperspectral imaging of physiological changes in biological systems has been extensively used as invaluable tools in a variety of research areas, including medical and biological applications. However, conventional approach requires a critical, yet bulky, expensive, and slow optical component (i.e. a mechanical filter wheel, an imaging spectrograph, or a liquid crystal tunable filter) for capturing full spectral information. Therefore, this component limits development of compact, rapid, and cost-effective systems. In this respect, we propose to explore a possibility of spectrometerless (or spectrometer-free) hyperspectral imaging to map out detailed spatial distributions of biochemical absorption compounds or pigments, which are …

Exploring Transformative Learning Pedagogies To Teach Human-Centered Design: A Collaborative Action Research Approach, Cole Hatfield Joslyn

Open Access Dissertations

In this research, I present the problem that a culture of disengagement endemic in engineering and engineering education (see Cech, 2014) is exacerbated by deeply rooted habits of mind and their underlying assumptions that are at odds with social justice ideals and resistant to change, thus, perpetuating the status quo (see Riley, 2008). Furthermore, current engineering education curricula focusing primarily on mathematics, science, and engineering sciences (see Sheppard, Macatangay, Colby, & Sullivan, 2009) further entrench this culture along with these habits of mind and assumptions. In an attempt to address the culture of disengagement, I propose a framework for humanizing …

Development Of Transgenic Black Ash (Fraxinus Nigra) For Resistance To The Emerald Ash Borer, And Genome Editing For Reproductive Sterility, Junhyung Lee

Open Access Dissertations

Black ash (Fraxinus nigra Marsh.) is valued for commercial hardwood products such as cabinets, paneling, flooring, and veneer, and for food and habitat for wildlife, specifically in riparian areas. The wood is preferred by Native Americans for making splints for basketry. The emerald ash borer (EAB), an aggressive exotic wood-boring beetle from Asia, is threatening all North American ash species. Since the first EAB infestation in the United States was confirmed near Detroit, Michigan in 2002, it has spread rapidly. In order to manage the EAB and conserve Fraxinus spp., there is a need to develop ash trees with resistance …

Probabilistic-Based Modeling Of Human Perceptual-Motor Behaviors With Application To Wheelchair Targeting Locomotion, Chih-Wei Li

Open Access Dissertations

The objective of this thesis is to develop an empirically-based probabilistic model of the perception-action behaviors of human wheelchair locomotion and navigation over short distance ranges relevant for small space scenarios. More specifically, a probabilistic description and model is sought for the visual perception of distance and orientation with respect to objects, and for wheelchair locomotion based upon straight line and turning behaviors. Further, the specific behavior of manual wheelchair users boarding a small platform area, relevant for lifts and small elevators, is studied experimentally and in a probabilistic-based simulation. The approach taken consists of two parts. First, human subject …

Imaging Cholesterol Metabolism And Trafficking By Stimulated Raman Scattering Microscopy, Hyeon Jeong Lee

Open Access Dissertations

Cholesterol is an essential component of mammalian cells which is tightly regulated. However, our understanding of cholesterol transport and metabolism is still incomplete, partly due to lack of suitable tools for studying cholesterol dynamics in living cells and organisms with spatio-temporal information. My dissertation work applied spectroscopic imaging of cholesterol in human tissues, living cells, and model organisms to unravel new insights of cholesterol metabolism and trafficking. Using stimulated Raman spectroscopic analysis of lipid droplets in human prostate cancer patient tissues, we observed an aberrant accumulation of cholesteryl ester in metastatic lesions. Inhibition of cholesterol esterification in prostate cancer cells …

Exploring The Genomic Basis Of Traits Relevant To Evolution And Ecology Of Chestnuts (Castanea) Using High-Throughput Dna Sequencing And Bioinformatics., Nicholas R. Labonte

Open Access Dissertations

Introduced pests and pathogens have devastated forest ecosystems in the temperate zone; in eastern North America, introduced pests and pathogens have led to the elimination of most mature elms (Ulmus), ashes (Fraxinus), hemlocks (Tsuga) and chestnuts (Castanea) over large areas where these genera were formerly abundant and important for local ecosystems. The restoration of species affected by introduced pests and pathogens requires the development and propagation of trees that possess heritable resistance. High-throughput DNA sequencing and genomics provide opportunities for researchers to identify resistance gene candidates, screen germplasm, and develop markers for marker-assisted selection in breeding programs, with the goal …

Digestibility Of Calcium In Feed Ingredients And Digestible Calcium Requirements For Pigs, Fengrui Zhang

Open Access Dissertations

The objective of this research was to compare different expressions for the digestibility of Ca in both pigs and chickens, and to determine the true total tract digestible (TTTD) Ca requirement for 10- to 20-kg and 20- to 40-kg pigs. In the first study, two experiments were conducted to compare apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of Ca in pigs. In Exp. 1, three semi-purified diets with soybean meal, canola meal or sunflower meal as the sole source of Ca were formulated. Eighteen cannulated pigs (initial BW = 66 ± 5 kg) were assigned in a …

An Investigation Of The Neural Circuitry Of Cued Alcohol Behaviors In P And Wistar Rats., Aqilah Maryam Mccane

Open Access Dissertations

Alcohol-paired cues invigorate alcohol-seeking and drinking behaviors in both rodents and individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Additionally, genetic susceptibility plays a key role in alcohol addiction behaviors. Alcohol preferring (P) rats model both genetic vulnerability and symptoms of AUD. The basolateral amygdala (BLA), prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus (HC) and nucleus accumbens (NA) are important brain regions involved in cued alcohol seeking. These regions are interconnected and their functional connections are hypothesized to be critical in the expression of motivated behaviors. Electrophysiological recordings in these four regions were collected in P rats engaged in a cued alcohol task. Data were …

Effect Of Feed Additive Enzymes On Growth Performance And Immunological Response In Growing Pigs And Poultry, Emily R. Otto-Tice

Open Access Dissertations

As demand for oilseeds and grains increase for uses beyond livestock feeds, swine and poultry producers are continually challenged to source alternative feed ingredients or co-products that are traditionally fed to ruminant animals. Many of these alternative feed ingredients have characteristics, such as higher fiber content or inherent antinutritional factors, that may reduce the feeding value for swine and poultry. To help improve the nutrient availability as well as understanding the positive affect that feeding fiber can have on gut health, biotech companies have developed novel enzymes to help breakdown these complex carbohydrate structures to release additional energy or reduce …

Development Of A Direct-Contact Triculture Model Of The Human Blood Brain Barrier And Potential Applications As A Preclinical Drug Screening Tool, Aimable Ngendahimana

Open Access Dissertations

Given the high cost and emerging ethical and public concerns associated with the use of animal models, the use of in vitro techniques is gaining considerable attention in research programs related to CNS drug discovery and development. More specifically, various in vitro cell culture models for studying and predicting drug transport across the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) were developed as preclinical research tools for neurological drug discovery and development. The main goal of the present studies has been to improve conventional in vitro methods used in mimicking the BBB physiology and functions by allowing physiologically complex interactions of the human BBB …

Engineering Novel 3d Tumor-Stroma Models To Bridge The Gap Between Preclinical Drug Development And Human Clinical Outcomes, Theodore J. Puls

Open Access Dissertations

While much progress has been made in the war on cancer, shortcomings in the drug development process have kept anti-cancer clinical trial success rates low. One of the many factors implicated in this is the lack of pathophysiologically relevant and predictive preclinical models. Specifically, traditional preclinical tumor models do not capture tumor microenvironment complexity and heterogeneity, while advanced three-dimensional (3D) models suffer from poor reproducibility, lack of relevant and standardized extracellular matrix (ECM), and inability to interface with automated, high-throughput systems. Because of this, it has been suggested that developing novel phenotypic tumor models which balance the need for complexity …

Carbon Taxes, Forest Carbon Sequestration, Climate Induced Land Yield Changes, And Their Interactions, Luis Moisés Peña-Lévano

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation is comprised of three essays that evaluate the economic benefits and costs of mitigating climate change at the global scale. Each essay relies on computable general equilibrium (CGE) modeling. The first essay evaluates the economic and environmental interactions among climate change, agriculture, forest carbon sequestration and food security. It addresses changes in land use, commodity and food prices, economic welfare, emission reductions, among other economic factors. This study finds that an aggressive sequestration subsidy can represent a threat for food security due to the land competition between agriculture and forestry. Likewise, the results suggest that there are benefits …

Determining Variation In Virulence, Persistence, And Stress Tolerance Among Salmonella Enterica And Listeria Monocytogenes From Food And Food-Associated Environments, Andrea J. (Ray) Etter

Open Access Dissertations

The U.S. food industry employs multiple strategies to prevent foodborne illness including the use of antimicrobials, sanitizers, and heat to reduce or eliminate pathogens in food products. However, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica isolates have widely varying tolerance to common processing stresses. Additionally, both pathogens display considerable variation in virulence among serovars and strains. The goal of these studies was to characterize the range of virulence and persistence capabilities for L. monocytogenes and S. enterica isolates. To this end, we determined the prevalence of inlA mutations in L. monocytogenes collected from retail deli surfaces, and used PFGE to study the …

Bone Manganese As A Potential Biomarker Of Cumulative Manganese Exposure And Predictor Of Neurological Decline, Danelle A. Rolle-Mcfarland

Open Access Dissertations

Research into the health effects of cumulative exposure to manganese (Mn) has been limited due to the lack of a biomarker that adequately represents cumulative exposure. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the usefulness of bone Mn (BnMn) as a biomarker of cumulative Mn exposure and as an indicator of neurological decline. Our research group utilized a novel, transportable, in vivo Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) system to analyze BnMn in a group of Chinese workers (N=60). In addition to bone, blood and fingernail samples were also collected from participants and analyzed for Mn. Participants completed a questionnaire that included work …

Associative Learning Of The Generalist Predator Podisus Maculiventris To Herbivore- Induced Plant Volatiles, Ulianova Vidal-Gómez

Open Access Dissertations

Following herbivore attack, plants produce volatile organic compounds (HIPVs for herbivore induced plant volatiles) that allow predators to find and consume herbivores. The generalist predator Podisus maculiventris likely uses HIPVs in its foraging decisions. I hypothesized that the behavioral responses of this predator to HIPVs are acquired via associative learning, as suggested by theoretical predictions linking natural enemy host range with odor preferences. To evaluate P. maculiventris learning capabilities across different levels of biological organization, I use the tri-trophic system consisting of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), hornworm caterpillars (Manduca sexta), and the predaceous stinkbug Podisus maculiventris to answer the following questions: …

From Crypt Depths To Carbon Dioxide Equivalents: Characterizing The Interactions Between Swine Nutrition, Health And The Environment, Caitlin Vonderohe

Open Access Dissertations

There are many ways to measure the relative success and sustainability of a swine production system. The most economically relevant measures are growth performance and feed conversion. However, other measures such as greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient excretion, health and degree of intestinal inflammation can also be significant reflections of the interaction between nutrition, genetics and environment. Three experiments were conducted to characterize how swine nutrition and management affect the environmental footprint of swine production. The objective of experiment 1 was to determine the effect of reducing dietary crude protein and supplementing synthetic amino acids on growth performance, greenhouse gas emissions …

Structure-Based Design And Synthesis Of Novel Inhibitors Of Hiv-1 Protease And Beta-Site Amyloid Precursor Protein Cleaving Enzyme 1, Heather L. Osswald

Open Access Dissertations

HIV-1 protease is a critical enzyme in the life cycle of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Targeting this enzyme halts the processing of viral polyproteins into mature and active enzymes which make virulent virions to further spread the infection. The development of the first HIV-1 protease inhibitor (PI) marked the beginning of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in 1995. Since then, many other first- and second-generation PIs have been designed and clinically evaluated. Still, mutations of the viral enzyme have resulted in drug-resistant strains of HIV, making the development of new, highly potent PIs of dire importance. To this end, …

Investigation Of Interaction Between Peptide And Lipid Bilayer By Molecular Dynamics Simulation, Ning Xiang

Open Access Dissertations

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) inactivate microbial cells through pore formation in cell membrane. Because of their different mode of action compared to antibiotics, AMPs can be effectively used to combat drug resistant bacteria in human health. AMPs can also be used to replace antibiotics in animal feed and immobilized on food packaging films. We developed a methodology based on mechanistic evaluation of peptide-lipid bilayer interaction to identify AMPs from soy protein. Production of AMPs from soy protein is an attractive, cost-saving alternative for commercial consideration, because soy protein is an abundant and common protein resource. This methodology is also applicable for …

Using Multiple Ways To Investigate Cognitive Load Theory In The Context Of Physics Instruction, Tianlong Zu

Open Access Dissertations

Cognitive load theory (CLT) (Sweller 1988, 1998, 2010) provides us a guiding framework for designing instructional materials. CLT differentiates three subtypes of cognitive load: intrinsic, extraneous, and germane cognitive load. The three cognitive loads are theorized based on the number of simultaneously processed elements in working memory. Intrinsic cognitive load depends upon the number of interacting elements in the instructional material that are related to the learning objective. Extraneous cognitive load is the mental resources allocated to processing unnecessary information which does not contribute to learning as caused by non-optimal instructional procedure. It is determined by the number of interacting …

The Regulation Of Calcium Oscillations In Porcine Eggs At Fertilization, Lu Zhang

Open Access Dissertations

As the most abundant mineral in organisms, ionized calcium (Ca2+) plays a crucial role in cellular signaling, regulating a great number of physiological activities. In this study, the Ca2+ entry mechanism that sustains the long-lasting Ca2+ oscillations in fertilized pig eggs was investigated. Porcine eggs matured in vitro were used for the experiments. In some eggs, the intracellular Ca2+ stores were depleted using cyclopiazonic acid (CPA, a SERCA pump blocker), others were inseminated with boar spermatozoa. To identify the mechanism that mediates the Ca2+ influx, various inhibitors of store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) were used. We found that the inhibitors blocked …

Judicial Disqualification—Confusion, Clarification And Continued Considerations: A Closer Look At Arkansas's Judicial Disqualification Rules In Light Of Ferguson V. State, Elizabeth James

University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review

No abstract provided.

Survey Of Legislation: 2017 Arkansas General Assembly, Amie Alexander, Sarah Giammo

University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review

No abstract provided.

Siu Alumni, Siu Alumni Association

SIU Alumni Magazine

No abstract provided.

A Tale Of Two Trade Powers: Balancing Investor-State Dispute Settlement And Environmental Risk Between The European Union And United States In A Changing Political Climate, Sarah Ben-Moussa

Fordham Environmental Law Review

No abstract provided.

Deciding Not To Decide: Federal Courts' Discretion To Decline Review And Miller V. City Of Wickliffe, Tommy Tobin

Hofstra Law Review

No abstract provided.

The English Legacy Of The Second Amendment - History And Myth, Allen R. Kamp

Hofstra Law Review

According to the majority opinion of Justice Scalia in District of Columbia v. Heller, pre-Second Amendment adoption English history informs the Amendment’s meaning. The majority opinion discusses the historical background after analyzing the language of the Amendment: “Putting all of these textual elements together, we find that they guarantee the individual right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation. This meaning is strongly confirmed by the historical background of the Second Amendment. We look to this because it has always been widely understood that the Second Amendment, like the First and Fourth Amendments, codified a pre-existing right.”

My …